BotL - Monthly fluff challenge

[simison]

Unless the three who voted for Drowned change their mind, we'll keep to the Drowned.

 

Actually, didn't Hesh say he was going to be able to visit regularly in the near future?

[Kelborn]

In the end, I'm not fixed to the Drowned being the next one.

 

If we say that we want to give Hesh some time in order to fix everything, then I'm ok with it. :)

 

Tbh I failed April because of lack of information. When I finally received some feedback, it was already too late and I haven't had the time to write something.

 

If someone's interested, I got a rough draft of my contribution. Maybe one would like to use this.

[simison]

That leaves just Drak.

[~Drakzilla~]

Depends on if Hesh is good with it. If he thinks there's enough of a base to work off of, then I stand by the Drowned. Otherwise, I'll throw my vote behind the Veagles.

 

Also, apologies for missing the deadline for the first two challenges. I've been swamped in schoolwork, but I assure you, they will get done.

[Kelborn]

So, here's what I've done for April. It's far from being finished and more a rough sketch of scenes, etc. Maybe someone can make use of it. :)

 

 

 

Hope & Despair

In the beginning years of the Steel Legions advance in the SegmentumUltima.

On the world of Bahma’dun

 

The renegade XVIIIth Legion, the Steel Legion, hunted down XIVthLegionesAstartes, the Dune Serpents. After a costly campaign throughout the stellar region known as NihayatAl’amal, or end of hope in low gothic, the Dune Serpents face off against an overwhelming force of their former brothers. Led by Altair the Dune Serpents prepare for a last stand against the sons of NomusSardauk.

 

Desert world, nearly bare of life, gigantic mountains and rock formations, dunes, desert, very few oasis, insectoid and reptilian specimen

Dune Serpents dig in a massive, natural rock formation, were haunted by the Steel Legion since months, very last stand for the DS detachment

Led by captain (?) Altair, the DS prepare for the fight; Altairs second in command, Mothjem, questions his procedure, saying that digging in is not how they fight

Altair assures him that the trap is set and he is just waiting for the right time. Either they will destroy the Steel Legion and rejoin the rest of the Legion or they die dragging as much of them as possible

Mothjem returns to his duties, while Altair contacts Fhjarad, asking if he is ready to strike

“Are you kidding`? We’re ready since days!”

Battle occurs, mortal regiments of traitorous Imperial Guard regiments and elements of the Steel Legion approach the DS bastion

The formation itself is seated within a giant valley, surrounded by high dunes

In order to approach the loyalists forces, the troops of Nomus have to overcome the Dunes, which leaves them open for the accurate Legionnaires of the XIVth

Steel Legion starts to bombard the formation, covering their troop’s approach, when the enemies hit the ground and started to establish cover, Altair springs the trap: dozens of tanks of all sizes, break through their cover within the dunes, spreading death amidst the surprised Steel Legion

Furthermore, the surrounding dunes collapse and devour those still walking on top, hundreds die within seconds, the Steel Legions assault breaks apart, the Dune Serpents seize the moment, more troops appear out of nowhere and decimate the rearguard of the XVIIIth Legion

While his men run after the fleeing enemies, Altair stands on top of the formation, looking towards the sky, waiting for reinforcements to arrive

 

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

 

Deep within the Steel Legions’ flagship does Nomus sit in his refuge, everything is dark, only source of light is a large and intricate tactical display, showing the failing assault on the last Dune Serpents

“Impressive. They begin to adapt. Retreat to landing zone Alpha-Setarus.”

“You know that we could crush them. Just unleash my men upon them.”

Next to Nomus does Boriak, the absolute of Hesiak Prime, stand. A terran-born, Boriak prefers to strike and extinguish the remaining Serpents as long as they got the upper hand.

Nomus says that his sons had done well in depleting and distracting the Dune Serpents. There is no further need of wasting men and resources now. This battle was not even worth of a footnote of the entire campaign, which happened within the SegmentumUltima. He asks the third person in the room, clad in MK VI armor, if the rest of the Legion is approaching as commanded. He person replies that everything is happening just as planned.

Nomus welcomes this, saying that time on Bahma’dun has come to an end. Boriak shall oversee the retreat and following resupply of the deployed troops. Everything needs to be prepared for the next phase. Furthermore, he contacts the fleet commander via the network to prepare the fleet for departure.

After Boriak left

“What about the Serpents? They could be the source of trouble if left unchecked.”

“Do what must be done. Glaze the entire region.”

The person steps into the light, bald headed and clad in an advanced MK VI armor. Tattoed circuits on his right temple and eye. From the distance, they looked like a trefoild serpent-

“It will be as you wish, father. Hominibus dominates.”

Said Armillus Dynat, favored son of Nomus, the endbringer.

 

 

[simison]

Drak, I sent a PM right after your post and he hasn't replied in over 24 hours. What do you think?

[~Drakzilla~]

Well, in that case I'll go for the Void Eagles.

[simison]

Okay, all three of the Drowned voters have agreed that Hesh needs some time to either return to more active duty or finish revamping the Drowned. Here is the vote as it now stands...

 

May Fluff Challenge

 

Predators - Blunt

 

Void Eagles - Blind/Mikhal/Drak

 

Drowned - Drak/Talonair/Kel

 

Godslayers - Sig/Mikhal/Skal

 

Out in limbo: Talonair/Kel

[Kelborn]

huh...difficult.

 

I'm going with the Void Eagles just because the Godslayers being featured in the first book and having a lot of stuff done already. Furthermore, I'm enjoying void battles. :P

[simison]

huh...difficult.

 

I'm going with the Void Eagles just because the Godslayers being featured in the first book and having a lot of stuff done already. Furthermore, I'm enjoying void battles.

 

With that, it shifts the Void Eagles to four votes, securing the win.

 

Void Eagles this month everyone. Start bombarding Skal.

[bluntblade]

Okey-dokey. I'm in an elites mood, so I'll take a look at that. May also do some work on the Morning Stars.

[simison]

Skal, I want to delve more into one of the Great Fleets. I know you mentioned somewhere that each one has its own unique culture or sub-culture within the Void Eagles. Could I get a list of that? Do you have any preferences? I'm going to write in FW-style, so this could theoretically be a red box, something for the wiki, or plain background info.

[Skalpynock]

Skal, I want to delve more into one of the Great Fleets. I know you mentioned somewhere that each one has its own unique culture or sub-culture within the Void Eagles. Could I get a list of that? Do you have any preferences? I'm going to write in FW-style, so this could theoretically be a red box, something for the wiki, or plain background info.

Ist Great Fleet, the Void Eagles: plain vanilla VE, under the direct rulership of the Primarch, nothing to see here. Cultural Inspiration: 10 000 leagues under the sea

2nd Great Fleet, the Wings of Woe: many coabanite elements, while pretty similar to the 1st, the absence of Yucahu can be felt. Cultural Inspiration: US Air Force

3rd Great Fleet: the Morning Stars, nothing to see here. Cultural Inspiration: Sikh Empire

4th Great Fleet: have for homeworld the Forges of Vernes, have access to an esoteric arsenal. Don't care that much for morals when inventing stuff. Cultural Inspiration: Space Race USSR

5th Great Fleet, the Sons of Nothingness: believed lost for a while between the end of the Crusade and mid-Insurrection, when they return the only brass left on their heraldry is vague trims. Strike from the shadows, walk the line between Blackshields and Chapter. Loooots of Corsairs there. Cultural Inspiration: PIRATES

6th Great Fleet, the Blood-beaks: based at Ekhwesh, they are savage who prefer the enemy ripped apart. They like to smear their armor in enemy blood, some say they go as far as cannibalism. Cultural Inspiration: SE-Asian maritime people (Philippines et al.), pre-colonial Carribean People

7th Great Fleet (Maloran's, I've had some trouble confusing 7 and 8 back in the days), unremarkable. Cultural Inspiration: Conquistadors

8th Great Fleet, the Ash Walkers: bringers of ruins, heralds of dust, if the enemy isn't cooked thoroughly you're not doing real warfare. Their commander is the youngest admiral at the time of the DoR. Cultural Inspiration: ???

9th Great Fleet: a notable specialisation in purely astral warfare, many have taken the Nemoan Oath. Admiral Qualie is one of the few to have inherited Yucahu's cold discipline. Cultural Inspiration: modern/nearfuture Navies and Space-Navies, franco-british names mainly

Edited May 7, 2017 by Skalpynock

[simison]

Really intrigued with the 4th fleet. Curious how many references to 20,000 Leagues I can fit in while being realistic.

 

How does that sound?

[Skalpynock]

Edited my last post with the specific cultures each fleet draws from. Regarding Jules Vernes references, go for it, the VE are unsubtle references: the Legion (well it was, before Kelborn went on board).

[Kelborn]

Edited my last post with the specific cultures each fleet draws from. Regarding Jules Vernes references, go for it, the VE are unsubtle references: the Legion (well it was, before Kelborn went on board).

 

Is there something that bothers you? Should we speak about something? I'm reading some sarcasm. :P

[Skalpynock]

That's a thing, and it would be better settled over PM, at a latter point where my finesse and diplomacy are better than "ramming the other party with the prow of a battleship".

[simison]

4^th Great Fleet

 

Commanded by Admiral Calius, the Void Eagles' Fourth Fleet are infamous for their peculiar idealism and esoteric weaponry among their brothers. The latter is rooted in an alliance with the Forges of Vernes. Despite its name, this planet is not a Mechanicum forgeworld, but home to a technocracy that supplies the Fourth Fleet in its on-going participation in the Great Crusade. More than willing to eschew Martian tradition for unknown innovation, Vernes and the Fourth Fleet have been a constant source of tension between the Void Eagles and the Mechanicum. The sole reason that the Brass Lord allows this to continue is Vernes' undeniable success in crafting weapons for Calius' fleet. Instead of the standard bolter, the marines of the Fourth wield a unique lightning rifle, capable of slaying organics and mechanical defenses without threatening bulkheads or ship integrity. 

 

[Vice Admiral Vadim?]

Edited May 9, 2017 by simison

[Skalpynock]

I don't remember having ever put a "Vice-Admiral" rank, but it is a necessary addition. Go for Vadim namewise. Didn't think of Vernes as a non-Mechanicum forge, but it makes sense, and the lightning rifle is coherent with the Vernal fulguro-cutlasses. All in all, great addition to the fluff.

[Talonair]

Does the existence of forges not under mechanicus control violate the Treaty of Olympus Mons?

[bluntblade]

There is a canon instance in Extermination, though I forget what it was. We've continued that with the Auretian Technocracy, Akira (? I don't recall Athrawes commenting on that issue) and the Three Fires' remaining independent of Mars

[bluntblade]

Kiavahr, that was it - hence the Raven Guard have access to toys no other Legion gets. So it takes a Primarch's authority to secure that amount of leeway

[Talonair]

Ah ok

[simison]

I don't remember having ever put a "Vice-Admiral" rank, but it is a necessary addition. Go for Vadim namewise. Didn't think of Vernes as a non-Mechanicum forge, but it makes sense, and the lightning rifle is coherent with the Vernal fulguro-cutlasses. All in all, great addition to the fluff.

 

It was an idea I had. Vadim is the closest equivalent I could find to meaning nobody, like Nemo, in the Russian language. 

 

I'll at least write three paragraphs for this submission and then maybe do a narrative involving Yucahu and Alexandros working together because I'm biased. So, on the off chance I get there, what does Yucahu think of Alexandros pre-Insurrection? Or would you rather have it in the Insurrection?

[bluntblade]

Just the Worldburners to complete for my end of this month's challenge